The Tears of an Alchemist
by Roaming Writer
Summary: A one-shot that delves into the mind of the most interesting and complicated character of Tangled, Varian. Driven by the love of his father, anger, pain, and betrayal, Varian seeks a way to destroy the rocks that encased Quirin.


**Varian was such an amazing character and I want to expand more on his story. I hope you enjoy :) please leave a review!!**

It was cold, but Varian didn't mind. His passion warmed him, and his anger fueled his every move.

Varian looked at his father, whose terrified expression was still encased in the rocks. It pained him to see the only one he loved so dearly so helpless.

For a moment, the silence was broken by a loud roar of frustration from the boy, causing Ruttiger to scurry away in fear.

"NO NO NO NO!" Varian threw the glass vial against the wall and heard it shatter.

"WHY?" Varian yelled, as his anger slowly shifted to sorrow.

The boy's vision started to blur as he felt his eyes tear up. He was a failure. He failed to protect his father from the rocks and now he failed to destroy them and free his father. None of his acids were strong enough. Was this his fault?

That pain drove him, and made him strive to be better. Varian's mind dwelled on that fateful snowy night, the words echoed in his mind.

"Please, please, the rocks are encasing my dad!"

"I'm sorry. I can't help you right now."

The truth was, Varian had risked his own life and his father's life traveling to the castle, hoping that his most loyal friend would help him. Perhaps it was childhood naïveté, but the emotional scar started to form as the boy was dragged away, his pleas still echoing through the hall.

Varian took a deep breath and regained his composure, trying to dampen the hatred he had in his heart.

Varian wiped his tears and pulled out a scrap of paper with a picture of the princess Rapunzel. Varian's inner fire re ignited as he stared at the picture, dreaming of the ways he could get revenge.

But he couldn't. Even on that day, he saw the pain in Rapunzel's eyes when she dismissed him. He knew it wasn't easy for her either. Rapunzel was always so kind and loving to him, as if she was the mother he never met. She would visit him in his house and he would go and help her out around the castle. Their strong bond couldn't be broken by this. Varian couldn't push himself to hate the princess.

All of a sudden, Ruttiger scurried back, always knowing the right time to comfort his friend. He chirruped and nudged Varian, as if telling him to keep trying.

It was a miracle. For the first time in days, the boy smiled.

"You're right Ruttiger. I need to keep going."

The alchemist picked up a fresh new vial, and this time he was bound to get it right. Varian took another glance at the chemical formulas he'd been writing.

And it just clicked. Could this be it? This was it. THIS WAS IT. Varian let out a cheerful scream and squeezed Ruttiger in a bear hug of pure euphoria. How could he be so blind? He merely had to alter the chemical makeup of the acid to accept more hydronium ions.

As quick as a breeze, the boy concocted a new batch of acid.

He held his breath as he lifted the vial over the rocks. This was it.

Varian poured the acid over the rock and waited for the sizzling to stop. But it didn't. The acid bled right through the rock and started to spread, dissolving all the rock around his father.

After a few minutes, his father's body was lying on the ground, and Varian rushed over to his father's side.

The boy put his ear on his father's neck and sure enough he felt a pulse.

It. Had. Worked.

For a second, Varian was speechless. He didn't fail after all.

Varian's happiness and shock was indescribable with words. Such pure bliss was immeasurable.

Quirin, his father, began to wake. "V-Varian?" his father asked, confused about his whereabouts. A soft, kind, and gentle smile spread across the aged man's face as he looked up at his only beloved son.

"Dad! Daddy!" the boy cried in elation as tears streamed down his face. He embraced his father in the warmest hug known to man, and for a second it all felt like heaven.

But Varian should've known. Heaven was too good to be real. His father's face and body began to disappear in front of him. His surroundings began to crumble and disappear until darkness closed in on him. The warmth of his father quickly faded as he opened his eyes.

It was just a dream. He was still in prison.

Varian tried to get up from his bed, but quickly toppled over onto the cold, wet concrete floor.

He curled up into a fetal position and began to cry.


End file.
